Art of destructive distillation.



S. E. SEAMAN.

ART OF DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27. 1916.

1,236,884., Patented Aug. 14,1917.

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STEWART E. SEAMAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SEAMAN WASTE WOOD CHEMICAL COMPANY INC., 013 NEWYORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OIE NEW YORK;

ART OF DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 14, 191? Application filed May 27, 1916. Serial No. 100,190.

ing distillates worth recovering, and prefer-- ably such as also. contain matter which can be converted into a commercial charcoal. The object of my invention is to provide a method of distillation, preferably continuous, in which the charge is constantly fed to a retort, the vapors and gases continuously withdrawn, and the carbonized or residue material also discharged. vMore particularly my invention is intended to pro vide means whereby the charge is compressed as it enters the heated retort thus forming a seal which prevents the escape of gases and vapors through the intake, and

. also lexcluding by compression the oxygen in the charge. Both these features are important because the escape of gases through the inletis likely to prove disastrous, besides wasting the gases, and if oxygen in anygreat quantity enters the retort it produces combustion and sometimes explosions.

Another object of my invention is to arrange the discharge of the carbonized or other residue material so that it will not interfere with the free drawing-off of gases and vapor but will also serve as a seal to prevent the escape of such gases and vapor through the outlet for residue matter. "In

general, my invention is intended to provide a simple, efficient and thoroughly commercial method by which a rotary retort can be used so that the charge is kept agitated and the heat evenly applied to-it,"to provide means for having the charge seal the inlet, the discharge of the residue material seal the'outlet, and thus provide for a continuous withdrawal ofgases and consequent continuous distillation. V

' Reference is to be had to the accompanying/ drawings forming a part' of this specification, in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

The figure is a longitudinal section of an apparatus suitable for carrying my invention into effect.

As illustrated a rotary retort 10, preferably cylindrical, is horizontally supported in masonry l1. The retort can be heated in any suitable way, and I have shown a fire box 12 connected with a distributing chamber 13 having fiues 14: through which the hot products of combustion pass to a heating chamber 15 directly beneath the retort, and from thence the products of combustion pass out through a stack 16. The retort; 10 has its inlet end reduced forming a neck 17 which is mounted in suitable bearings 18, while the lower end of the retort passes through a gland 19 and enters a hollow head/20- The retort can be rotated in any suitable way and as shown the neck 17 serves the purpose of a shaft and is provided with a worm wheel21 driven by a worm 22. A thrust collar 23 is placed onthe neck next the worm wheel to provide against too much end movement of the retort. At its outer end the neck 17 is provided with a gland 24 which receives the feed pipe 25, this serving as an extension of the neck 17, and it is shown supported by a suitable bracket 26. A hopper 27 delivers into the feed pipe and the material to be treated passes from the hopper into the feed pipe. The feed pipe 24 extends outward beyond the hopper, and in it is a plunger 28 which reciprocates below the mouth of the hopper and rams the charge into the feed pipe and neck 17. The charge thus becomes very much compressed so that the gases and vapors of the retort cannot pass back through it, and the stroke of the plunger brings it at its inner movement slightly short of the inner wall of the mouth of the hopper as shown at 27 so thatthe oxygen in the charge is forced outward by compression,

and clearance is provided so that it can pass ramming the charge into the pipe and inlet end of the retort, thus sealing it and excluding the oxygen, but obviously other means for compressing the charge at this point and expelling the oxygen thereby can be used without in the least affecting the invention.

The retort at its lower or discharge end is preferably supported on a spider 33 which is carried by a shaft 3i, and the latter extends outward through a gland in the head 20 and is mounted in a bearing 35 on the bracket 36 which is' secured to the head 20. From the upper part of the head 20 the vapors and gases are carried by a pipe 87 and delivered into a suitable condenser 38. Obviously the gases can be taken out from other parts of the retort, but I find that this arrangement works satisfactorily.

At its lower side the head 20 forms a pocket 39, and in this is arranged a screw conveyer 40 which extends. transversely of the retort through a suitable pipe, and discharges into a hopper ll which in turn delivers into a pipe 42, this being provided with a plunger 1L3 which rams the carbon ized material in the pipe l2 and expels it into a suitable receptacle 4e Thus the carbonized material as it is withdrawn is also compressed and makes an effective seal which prevents the escape of gases through the outlet for the charcoal or carbonized material, and while I have tried this arrangement and it works satisfactorily, I do not limit the invention to this means of compressing the carbonized material to form a seal.

It will thus be seen that I provide a continuous means for supplying a charge to the retort, for withdrawing the gases and vapors liberated by the heat in the retort, and also provide a convenient means for discharging the carbonized material and make this material a seal against the escape of said gases and vapors. It will be seen therefore that oxygen is excluded from the retort, that a continuous flow of material into and through it is provided, a continuous outflow of vapors and gases, and that the means as a Whole is simple and effective.

\Vhile I have shown my improvement as applied-to the destructive distillation of finely divided cellulose material, it will be understood that in some of its broader aspects it is not limited to the destructive distillation, in which case the residue products after the vapors and gases are withdrawn from the retort may not be carbonized, and while my invention is best carried out in a continuous process, it will be seen that if the process is not continuous still it may involve many features, of my invention.

1. The improvement in the art of distilling wood or other similar materials which consists in distilling such material in a retort and compressing such material as it is fed to the retort to expel the air therefrom.

2. The improvement in the art of distilling wood or other similar material which consists in distilling such material in a retort, compressing such material while in a finely divided form to expel the air therefrom, and in forcing such material while thus compressed into the retort.

3. The improvement in the art of distilling wood or other similar material, which consists in compressing the said material, feeding such compressed material to a retort, and converting such compressed material into a seal during the feeding and distilling operations to prevent the escape of gases and vapors from the retort through the feed inlet.

if. The improvement in the art of distilling wood or other similar material, which consists in compressing the said material while in a finely divided state, feeding such compressed material to the retort, and convert-. ing such compressed material into a seal during the feeding and distilling operations to prevent the escape of gases and va pors from the retort through the feed inlet.

5. The improvement in the art of distilling wood orother similar material, which consists in forcing such material while in a finely divided state into an inlet passageway leading to the retort, compressing it therein to cause it to fill the same tightly and forcing the said compressed and tightly fitting material through the said passageway and into the retort during the distilling operation, whereby the escape of gases from the retort through the inlet passageway will be prevented during the feeding operation.

(3. The improvement in the art of distilling wood or other similar material which consists in forcing such material into an inlet passageway leading to the retort, compressing ittherein to cause it to fill the same tightly and forcing the said compressed and tightly fitting material through the said passageway and into the retort during the distilling operation, whereby the escape of gases from the retort through the inlet passageway will be prevented during the feeding operation.

7. The improvement in the art of destructive distillation of wood or other similar material, which consists inheating the material in a retort and utilizing the carbonized material as it is withdrawn from the retort to effect a continuous and positive seal in the outlet of the retort against ,the escape of gaseous products through said outlet.

8. The improvement in the art of continuous distillation of wood or other similar material, which consists in heating the material in a retort, drawing off the gases and .vapors from the retort, and utilizing the 1,2se,sse

residue material as it is withdrawn from the retort to continuously and positively seal the outlet for such material against the escape of gaseous products from the retort through said outlet.

9. The improvement in the art of continuous distillation of wood or other similar material, which consists in forcing the residue material resulting from the distillation into the' discharge passageway, compressing rtt1ghtly therein and forcing it through such discharge passageway in the said tightly compressed condition, whereby the material will be discharged from the retort without permitting the escape of gases from the retort through the discharge passageway.

' 10. The improvement in the art of distillation of wood or other similar material, which consists in freeing said material from its gases and vapors in a heated retort, drawing off the said gaseous products, forcing the carbonized material resulting from the distillation into a discharge passageway, compressing it tightly therein, constantly maintaining it in such compressed state and forcing it from such discharge passageway in said tightly compressed condition, whereby the material will be discharged from the retort without permitting the escape. of gases from the retort through the discharge passageway.

11. The herein described improvement in the art of destructive distillation of wood and other similar materials, which consists in treating the charge in a, sealed retort, compressing the charge at the inlet end of the retort so as to seal the latter against the escape of gases and expel oxygen from the charge, utilizing the discharge of carbonized material from the retort to effect a seal, and withd 'awing and condensing the gases and vapors from the retort.

12. The hereindescribed improvement in the art of destructive distillation of wood and other similar material, which consists in distilling the charge in a sealed retort and compressing the charge before it enters the retort, thereby expelling the oxygen from the charge and converting the compressed charge into a seal against the escape of gases and vapors from the retort.

13. The herein describedimprovement in the art of destructive distillation of wood and other similar material, which consists in heating the charge in a suitable retort, drawing off the gaseous products from the retort, condensing said gaseous products, compressing the charge before it enters the retort so as to seal the latter against escape of gases from the inlet end, withdrawing the carbonized products from the retort, and com pressing the carbonized products as they leave the retort so as to effect a seal against the escape of gases.

1%. The herein described improvement in the art of destructive distillation of wood and other similar material, which consists in continuously feeding material to the retort, compressing the material before it en ters the retort so as to make it serve as a seal and so as to expel the oxygen therefrom, withdrawing the gaseous products of the material from the retort, discharging the carbonized products from the retort, and compressing the carbonized products as they are withdrawn thereby sealing the retort at the discharge end.

15. The herein described improvement in the art of continuous destructive distillation of wood and other similar material, which consists in continuously feeding the material to be treated to the retort through a feed pipe, compressing the charge in the feed pipe during the distilling operation so as to seal the retort and expel oxygen from the charge, and maintaining the material in a compressed condition in the said feed pipe so as to effect a continuous and positive seal.

16. The herein described improvement in i the art of destructive distillation of wood and other similar material Which consists in distilling the material in a closed retort, feeding the material to be treated through a feed pipe to the retort, and ramming the material in said pipe thus forming it into a seal and at the same time expelling oxygen therefrom.

17. The herein described improvement in the art of destructive distillation of Wood and other similar material, which consists in continuously feeding the charge to the retort, compressing the material as it is fed thus forming av seal and eliminating oxygen from the charge, applying heat to the retort, continuously withdrawing carbonized material from the retort, compressing said carbonized material to form a seal, and withdrawin and condensing the gaseous products from the retort.

18. The herein described improvement in the art of destructive distillation of wood and other similar material, which consists in heating the material in a retort, utilizing the charge before it enters the retort to seal the inlet end of the latter against the escape of gaseous products from the retort, utilizing the carbonized material as it is withdrawn from the retort to seal the outlet against the escape of such gaseous products, and withdrawing the gaseous products.

15). The herein described improvement in the art of continuous destructive distillation of wood and other similar materials, which consists'in continuously feeding a charge to and withdrawing the carbonized material from a retort, utilizing the charge as it enters the retort to seal the latter against. the escape of gaseous products, utilizing the carbonized material as it isWit-hdrawn to seal the outlet against the escape 4E messes of gaseous products, and Withdrawing said escape of gaseous products from the retort gaseous products through a separate vent. through said lnlet.

20. The improvement in the artof distil- STENVART E SEAMAN lation of Wood or other similar material,

Which consists in heating the material in a Witnesses:

retort, and utilizing the material as it is fed. REYNOLDS BELLoWs, into the retort to seal the inlet against the A. B. JACKSON. 

